Summary

Yakov is truly beginning to go mad. He sees Bibikov's ghost, has horrible visions of death and thinks he is perched at the top of a grave. He spends his hours pacing the cell until his feet become dreadfully infected from the nails in his shoes. Eventually, the warden has no choice but to take him to the infirmary or Yakov will die of gangrene. Yakov begs for his friend Fetyukov and discovers the man has been shot for disobeying a guard.

Yakov is forced to crawl through the prison to reach the infirmary. He is bleeding from his hands and knees, dripping with sweat and miserable. He is being led there during prison recess, so the other inmates stare and make fun, as he crawls. Yakov sleeps in his first bed in three months and awakes to an operation being performed on his feet without anesthetic...